Spokane Public Library
Spokane Public Library is a municipal library system serving City of Spokane residents through 7 branches, 5 24/7 kiosks, mobile outreach, and an award-winning arts-education facility (The Hive), with free collections, maker/media studios, and credential-based school integrations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1906
- HeadquartersSpokane, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Spokane Public Library does
Spokane Public Library is a municipal public library system operated by the City of Spokane, Washington, established in 1906 with early Carnegie funding and currently employing 87 staff across a network of 7 branch locations, 5 24/7 self-service kiosks, and a mobile service reaching 35+ retirement residences and daycares monthly. The library serves all City of Spokane residents free of charge, with reciprocal free-card agreements extending access to Spokane County Library District residents and credential-based integrations embedding library access for all Spokane Public Schools students and Community Colleges of Spokane students and faculty.
The institution operates across traditional and non-traditional product lines: physical and digital collections (OverDrive/Libby for eBooks/audiobooks, Kanopy for streaming, Comics Plus, TumbleBooks), the Inland Northwest Special Collections holding more than 18,000 archival items and 200+ digitized Spokane high school yearbooks, The Hive arts-education facility (opened August 2021) with maker studios, recording/video/podcast studios, and an Artist-in-Residence program that has hosted more than 50 artists, plus a Library of Things collection (telescopes, musical instruments, gardening tools, seeds), seed libraries, and Microsoft Office Specialist certification testing. Underlying technology consists of a library catalog and digital lending platform integrated with OverDrive/Libby and Kanopy, Microsoft 365 Bookings for 1-on-1 appointments, and a network of self-service kiosks — with no proprietary AI/ML capability.
The business model is overwhelmingly tax-funded: core services are free for Spokane residents, with secondary revenue streams from non-resident library cards ($75/year or $6.25/month), special-event venue rentals ($250–$3,000 per event with nonprofit discounts), and lost-material replacement fees. The library is supported by Friends of Spokane Public Library (volunteer fundraising and book sales) and the Spokane Public Library Foundation, plus grant-funded database acquisitions (HSSA grants). Non-resident card subscription, reciprocal county agreements, and corporate kiosk sponsorships (Numerica Credit Union, Walmart Foundation, Canopy Credit Union, Avista Foundation) provide modest non-tax revenue diversification.
Spokane Public Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spokane Public Library
- Legal name
- Spokane Public Library
- Website
- https://spokanelibrary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1906
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Spokane Public Library is a municipal library system serving City of Spokane residents through 7 branches, 5 24/7 kiosks, mobile outreach, and an award-winning arts-education facility (The Hive), with free collections, maker/media studios, and credential-based school integrations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spokane Public Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Services
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Spokane Public Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Spokane
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Spokane Public Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Tax Funding: As a municipal public library, Spokane Public Library is primarily funded through public tax revenue allocated by the City of Spokane and potentially other local government sources.
- Non-Resident Library Card Fees: Library cards are free to Spokane residents and Spokane County Library District residents through reciprocal agreements. Non-residents not covered by reciprocal agreements can purchase annual cards for $75 per year ($6.25/month). This fee includes full borrowing privileges, in-library internet access, and remote database access.
- Special Event Venue Rental: The library rents out event spaces including wedding venues for fees ranging from $250–$3,000 depending on space and event type, with nonprofit organizations receiving 50% discounts.
- Lost/Damaged Material Fees: Items overdue by 14+ days are billed as lost with replacement cost and processing fees. Accounts referred to collections incur referral fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Library Card (City Residents) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Paid Non-Resident Card |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Special Event Venue Rental |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Lost/Damaged Materials |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Spokane Public Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spokane Public Library provides free public library services to Spokane residents and Spokane County Library District residents through 7 physical branches, 5 24/7 self-service kiosks, a mobile service, and digital lending platforms. Core offerings include physical and digital book/media lending, research databases, meeting and event spaces, Maker Studios, Media Studios (recording, video, podcast), Library of Things (non-traditional items), music lessons, Inland Northwest Special Collections (18,000+ archival items), artist residencies at The Hive, Seed Libraries, and educational/community programming for all ages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Hive®: A non-traditional library centered around arts education and free public event space with no books or computers; also home to administrative offices for Spokane Virtual Learning and the Library's Artists-In-Residence Program
- Inland Northwest Special Collections
- Library of Things
- Book Club Bags
- Lilac City Local Magazine
Products and services
- Library Card (Resident, Non-Resident, and Reciprocal)
Quantifiable outcome
- Library card holders can check out up to 500 books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines at one time
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Spokane Public Library
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Spokane Public Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration44 records
Feature6 records
Spokane Public Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Spokane County Library District (SCLD)coreReciprocal agreement allowing residents of SCLD service area to obtain free Spokane Public Library cards and vice versa. Subscription database access and interlibrary loans are not included with free reciprocal cards.
- Thrive InternationalcorePartnership to operate the B Library Kiosk at the B development in the Shiloh Hills neighborhood of north Spokane, providing 24/7 library access in an underserved area.
- Numerica Credit UnionminorPresented sponsorship of the West Central Library Kiosk. Numerica sponsored the purchase of the kiosk along with other private grants and donations (Walmart Foundation, Canopy Credit Union, Avista Foundation).
- Spokane Public SchoolscoreIntegration where Spokane Virtual Learning has offices at The Hive. Shaw Middle School campus houses Hillyard Library. The Hive serves as a Teacher Training Center for SPS. Student IDs double as library cards for all SPS students.
- Friends of Spokane Public LibrarycoreVolunteer organization that supports the library through fundraising, the book store at Central Library, book club bags sponsorship, Kanopy streaming support, Summer Reading prize books, and online reading tracker (Beanstack) funding.
- New Leaf CafeminorCafe located within Central Library, offering catering options for events in nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall and meeting spaces.
- KYRS Thin Air Community RadiominorCommunity radio station located within Central Library, co-locating radio broadcast capabilities with library services.
- Spokane County Interstate FairminorPrize partner for Summer Reading Club, donating free entry tickets as reading rewards for kids and teens.
- Spokane Indians Baseball TeamminorPrize partner for Summer Reading Club, donating baseball tickets as reading rewards for kids.
- Altitude Trampoline ParkminorPrize partner for Summer Reading Club, donating free jump time as reading rewards for kids and teens.
- Page 42 BookstoreminorPrize partner for Adult Summer Reading, providing free books as reading rewards.
- WSU Spokane County Master GardenersminorPlant clinic volunteers providing free gardening advice at Shadle Park Library on Saturdays from 11am-3pm (May-September) as part of the Discovery Garden programming.
- Auntie's BookstoreminorLocal bookstore partner for Spokane Is Reading program and Lilac City Book Festival, supporting literary community events and author appearances.
- Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)minorLocal chapter partners with library on Lilac City Book Festival organized by Spokane Public Library, providing workshops and panels for children's book creators.
- Humanities WashingtonminorState humanities council partner supporting literacy-related events and projects in collaboration with the library's Writing Education Specialist.
- Asians for Collective LiberationminorLocal community organization partnering on literacy-related events and projects.
- Social Service OrganizationsminorOrganizations providing resources related to housing, healthcare, employment, mental health, and other social services can partner with the library to set up resource tables on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spokane Public Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Seattle Public Library: Municipal public library system serving a Pacific Northwest city of similar civic profile; operates multiple branches with comparable public-service mission, programming, and digital lending integrations.
- Salt Lake City Public Library: Architecturally-acclaimed municipal library with flagship central building, strong community programming, and similar tax-funded operating model — the award-winning central library provides a comparable 'destination branch' parallel to The Hive.
- Multnomah County Library: Large Pacific Northwest public library system with similar funding model, branch distribution, special collections, and commitment to community programming and maker/recording studios.
- Boise Public Library: Mountain West municipal library system of comparable scale, offering similar branch-and-programming mix and tax-funded public service model.
- King County Library System: Regional Washington-state library serving a comparable Pacific Northwest population; operates extensive branch network with strong digital lending, mobile services, and community partnership model.
- Tacoma Public Library: Washington-state municipal library with comparable branch count, funding profile, and emphasis on community space and technology access for a mid-sized city.
Broad incumbents
- Denver Public Library: Larger urban library system serving a major Western US metro with broader Western History/Genealogy special collections and a more extensive branch network — comparable in mission but materially larger in scale.
- Cuyahoga County Public Library: Larger Ohio-based library system repeatedly recognized as among the best in the US; comparable free public-service mission and emphasis on community programming at a meaningfully larger scale.
Others
- OverDrive / Libby: Primary digital lending platform provider that Spokane Public Library relies on; not a direct peer but a strategic upstream technology partner whose contract terms directly affect Spokane's digital service quality.
- Lynda.com / LinkedIn Learning: Online learning platform distributed to Spokane cardholders via library subscription; not a peer in the operational sense but a key vendor whose inclusion expands Spokane's career-development footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Spokane Public Library social profiles
Digital presenceSpokane Public Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spokane Public Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Spokane Public Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spokane Public Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spokane Public Library
What does Spokane Public Library do?
Spokane Public Library provides free public library services to Spokane residents and Spokane County Library District residents through 7 physical branches, 5 24/7 self-service kiosks, a mobile service, and digital lending platforms. Core offerings include physical and digital book/media lending, research databases, meeting and event spaces, Maker Studios, Media Studios (recording, video, podcast), Library of Things (non-traditional items), music lessons, Inland Northwest Special Collections (18,000+ archival items), artist residencies at The Hive, Seed Libraries, and educational/community programming for all ages.
Is Spokane Public Library a public or private company?
Spokane Public Library is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Spokane Public Library founded?
Spokane Public Library was founded in 1906. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Spokane Public Library based?
Spokane Public Library is headquartered in Spokane, United States, in the North America region.
How does Spokane Public Library make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Tax Funding is the primary driver. The others are non-Resident Library Card Fees, special Event Venue Rental and lost/Damaged Material Fees.
Who are Spokane Public Library's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Seattle Public Library, Salt Lake City Public Library, Multnomah County Library, Boise Public Library, King County Library System and Tacoma Public Library. Broad incumbents are Denver Public Library and Cuyahoga County Public Library. Others are OverDrive / Libby and Lynda.com / LinkedIn Learning.
Does Spokane Public Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spokane Public Library.
What industry is Spokane Public Library in?
Spokane Public Library's product category is Public Library Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAC, Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management. Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8200.